Multilegged crutch



Aug. 15, 1950 s, DU 015 2,518,763

MULTILEGGED CRUTCI-l Filed May 11, 1948 l2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 15,1950

fjt'iuNlTiED- ATES PATENT OFFICE i V a 7 2,518,763

' MUL'TILEGGED CRUTCH Stanley 13. Du Bois, I iqua,. hio Application May 11, 1948, Serial No. 256,302

9 Claims. (01. 155-22) This invention relates to crutches, and more particularly to' a self-supporting multidegged crutch adapted to be held by both hands of the user. i V

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide such a crutch device which is of simple and light-weight construction for easy use, which possesses adequate strength for relatively severe treatment, and wherein all the component parts are secured together for ready collapsing movement when thedevice is not in use without requiring detachmeint ofany parts and thus minimizing thepossibility of loss or misplacement of the'parts. J

Another. object is toiprovide a readily collapsible, .multi-legged crutch which has a single handle portion to which the legs are attached and at least four foot portions for contact with. the

fioor or groundat relatively widely spaced points 1 whenthe device is set up for use to. give firm support for the user with minimum danger of up-' setting. 7

It is also an object of the invention to provide having also a brace member movably connected:

with the legs in such manner as to move readily between a collapsed position in substantially the same plane as the legs and an operative position for rigidly bracing the legs when the device is set up. v

' Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

Inthe drawing .Fig 1 is aperspective View of a multi-legged crutch in accordance with the invention showing the device set up for use; I

Figs. 2and '3 are ;views intop plan and side elevation, respectively, showing the'crutch set up;

'Fig. 4 is aview in side elevation showing the crutch in anintermediate position between its collapsed and erected positions;

;Fig, 5 isa similar view showing the crutch completely collapsed;

Fig 6 .is an enlarged detail sectional view through the handle of :the crutch as indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;'and

Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged detail views on the lines 1 -1 and 8,8, respectively, of Fig. 3.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a multi-legged crutch which is especiallygwell suited'for use by individuals lacking the strength or muscular coordination to use conventional single legged crutches, for example, victims of spastic paralysis, paraplegics or persons too old or otherwise infirm to possess adequate sense of balance to use conventional crutches,

suchas personsregaining the use of their legs following. recovery from serious illness or injury. The invention provides a multi-legged crutch which is light in weight and thus easily manipulated by such-individualsand includes at least four feet so spaced with relation to the handle is set up, but this brace is readily releasable for collapsing movement with the legs to a substantially fiat position for ready storage. Furthermore,the releasing and collapsing or setting up movement of the crutch does not require the attaching or detaching of any of the parts but merely the releasing or tightening of a simple sliding clamp member, thus not only guarding against loss or misplacement of any of the parts but also greatly facilitating setting up or collapsing of the device by individuals lacking normal powers of coordination.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the crutch includes a handle portion In in the form of a bar of wood or other suitable material shaped at each end for ready gripping by the hands of the user. Two rear legs H are secured to handle in in aidally spaced relation and extend downwardly therefrom in diverging relation, the legs I] and handle l0 being arranged to define a common plane'as shown in Figs. 3 to 5. In assembling these parts, satisfactory results have been obtained'by threading the upper ends of legs I l into the handle and reinforcing this joint by glue to provide a rigidpermanent connection.

Athird or front leg 12 is connected to the handle In between the rear legs I l for swinging movement with respectto the rear legs. The upper end of front leg 12 is secured to a cylindrical sleeve [3 rotatably mounted on the handle .between the upper ends of the rear legs, means such as screws M (Fig. 6) being set in the handle at either end of sleeve I3 to keep the sleeve in axially fixed relation on the handle. Satisfactory results have been obtained by forming both leg l2 and sleeve l3 of metal tubing and welding them together. The front leg [2 is shorter than rear legs II; and a yoke 15 of metal tubing or other suitable material is welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of leg L2 to provide a pair 7 of feet It spaced laterally of the device, each of these feet and the lower ends of rear legs II being shown as provided with rubber foot members ii to minimize slipping of the device i use.

A brace is provided for bracing legs H and I2 in rigid relation when the device is set up for use, the brace being rnovably connected with the legs for collapsing movement with front leg l2 into substantially the same plane as the rear legs. The brace memberJZEJ' is formed of hollow tubing in generally Y-shape, and it includes two arm portions 22 pivotally connected to the rear legs I I. As shown in Fig. 7, the rearward end of eacharm 22 is flattened at 23 to receive a: rivet: 24- forming a pivotal connection to a bracket 25 bolted or otherwise secured to one of-- legs H as indicated at 26. The flattened; portion .23. of: each arm 22 is also bent at an angle to the length of the arm and positioned inwardly of itsassociated rear leg H to provide for swinging movement of brace 201 intosubstantially: the 'same plane as the rear legs: The, arms 22 are'furtherbraced with relation to each: otherby a cross rod 21 weldedor otherwise securedth'ereto.

The tail portion 28 of brace 20" is formed by flattening and welding together the front ends of arms 22 as shown in Fig. 8, and this end'of the brace is pivotally and slidably connected tothe front leg 12'. A releasable clamp member 30 is slidably mounted on leg [2, and its two end portions overlap the part 28- ofthebrace. A- bolt- 32 traverses the ends of clamp 3fland'the part 28 toform a pivotal connectiontherebetween, and

this bolt is provided with a wing nut- 33-to f acilitate tightening andloosening of the clamp. The proportions of this clamp aresuch that when the wing nut is tight on bolt 32'; clamp 36 isclamped provides firm and steady support for such use... the spaced feet of. the front'legs J2 cooperating] with the rear legs I l to'give a wide base capable of withstanding substantial angular. thrust on the handle in any direction without danger oftipping or upsetting.

This construction also. facilitates quick. and. easy collapsing of the device whenIit. islnot. in.

use as well asre'ad'y setting up. for use, and. it

will be noted'that suchfcollapsing"operation-does not require disconnection of. any partsandthus minimizes thepossibility of. loss of apart. To

collapse the device from the, position. shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it is necessary only to loosenthewingnut 33 andithen toslide theclamp-w up along front leg 12 while swinging the latter, towards;

rear legs H, thuscau sing the bracearms 2-2 to; pivot upwardly, on rivets 24. while. the tail part 28 of the brace simultaneously, pivots on.bo1t'.:i2.-,. this operation being illustrated in;Fig,.i.' When. the device is fully collapsed, it is.substantially flat as shownin Fig. 5, the legs l [and I 2,;andthebrace 29 all occupying substantially the same plane with handle l0. Thenut 33 thenbe. tightened to hold the partsin collapsed relation, andtlie device can. be readilyv storedinya mini- The user'stan'ds in'the space outlined stantially into said planell 1 4 or the like. To set up the device, the reverse sequence is followed, and when clamp 30 has moved all the way down leg l2 until it reaches the upper part of yoke l5, nut 33 is again tightened to secure all the parts in rigid relation for use.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that'changes may be. made therein without departing from the scopepfthe invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Aqcrutch device of the character described comprising a handle portion, a pair of rear legs secured to said handle and extending downwardly therefrom-An rigid relation, said legs and said handle lying in substantially the same plane, a-front leg connected with said handle between said rear legs for swinging movement relative to said rear legs, aboutthe axisof said handles-ubstantially into and out: or said. plane; brace. means effective tohold: said1egs inrigid relation when. said front leg is swung out of said plane to s,et

up aid devic and means.v mova liv' c nnectin said-brace means wi h e ch f s id less o p vide for: collapsing movement of said. brace means;

with said front leg substantially into: said plane. without. relative detachment: of any. ofsaid parts.

2. Ancrutch deviceof the character described comprising a handle, portion, a-pair of rearz'legs, securedto said handle and: extendin down- Wardly therefrom in rigid: relation, said. legs: and said handle lying in substantially thesame plane, a front leg. connectedrwithsaid handlelhetween said rear :legs; for swinging movement relative to. said rear. legs aboutthe axis;of: said handle sub-i stantially into-and out:ofsaid plane-{said front leg. being: bifurcated at the lower; end thereof to form: a. pair of laterally spaced feet, brace'means effective. to hold said legs inrigid relation when said front leg is swung out of said plane to" set up said. device, and means movably' connecting saidbracemeans with each of said legs te provide for' collapsing movement ofsaid brace means with said front: leg substantiallyinto said plane without relative detachment of'any of said parts.

3". A crutch device 0% the character described comprising ahandle portion, a pair-"of rear legs secured to said handle and extending-- downwardly therefrom in rigid relation, said legs and said handle lyin in substantially the same planeja' front leg. connected with saidha'ndlebetween said rear legs for swingingmovernent=relative-to saidrear legs about the a-xis' of 'said handle'substan tially into and out of said planefmeans forming laterallyspaced feet secured to thelowe r endof said frontleg, brace means pivotallyconnected to each of said rear legs, and meansfor'se'curing said brace means-Ito said'front leg; to-holdsaid legs in r-i g d relation-- when; said device is set up; said securing means-"being releasable-to provide foieeollapsing movement of'sa-id brace' means subaLA crutch deV -Gei or the character" described comprising a handle portion, a pain'of rear legs secured-tosaid iha'ndl'e "andiextending downwardly therefrom in rigidrelation, said-legs- 'andsaid handle lying in substantially the same" plane, a

front leg connected with .said handle between said rear legs for swinging movement relative to said rear legs: about: the :axisof said handle substantiall inteyand out of said plane, brace means pivotally connected to each ofsaid rear legs;

m m of pace, for ample y ha si aiinacloset. .75. meansforming:at.slidable'connectionbetween said brace means and said front leg to provide for collapsing movement of said brace means with said front leg substantially into said plane without relative detachment of said brace means and any of said legs, and means for releasably securin said slidable connection to said front leg to hold said brace means and said legs in rigid relation.

5. A crutch device of the character described comprising a handle portion, three legs, means connecting said legs with said handle in axially spaced relation and constructed to provide for swinging movement of the middle one of said legs with respect to the others of said legs into and out of a common plane containing said handle, means for bracing said legs in rigid relation when said middle leg is swun out of said plane to set up said device, and means pivotally and slidably connecting said bracing means with said legs to provide for relative collapsing movement of said bracing means with said legs without detachment therefrom.

6. A crutch device of the character described comprising a handle portion, a pair of legs rigidly secured to said handle in axially spaced relation and extending downwardly from said handle in diverging relation, said legs and said handle lying in substantially the same plane, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said handle between said legs, a third leg secured to said sleeve and swingable therewith about the axis of said handle, a yoke secured to the lower end of said third leg to form laterally spaced feet for said third leg, brace means effective to hold said legs in rigid relation when said front leg is swung out of said plane to set up said device, and means movably connecting said brace means with said legs to provide for collapsing movement of said brace means with said front leg substantially into said plane without detachment of said brace means irom any of said legs.

7. A crutch device of the character described comprising a handle portion, a pair of legs rigidly secured to said handle in axially spaced relation and extending downwardly from said handle in diverging relation, said legs and said handle lying in substantially the same plane, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said handle between said legs, a third le secured to said sleeve and swingable therewith about the axis of said handle, a yoke secured to the lower end of said third leg to form laterally spaced feet for said third leg,

a Y-shaped brace member pivotally connected to each of said pair of legs, and means for securing said brace member to said third leg to hold said legs in rigid relation when said device is set up, said securing means being releasable to provide for collapsing movement of said brace member substantially into said plane.

8. A crutch device of the character described comprising a handle portion, a pair of legs rigidly secured to said handle in axially spaced relation and extending downwardly from said handle in diverging relation, said legs and said handle lying in substantially the same plane, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said handle between said legs, a third leg secured to said sleeve and swingable therewith about the axis of said handle, brace means pivotally connected to each of said pair of legs, a releasable clamp slidably mounted on said third leg, and means pivotally connecting saicf brace means and said clamp to provide for collapsing movement of said brace means with said third leg substantially into said plane and for releasably securing said brace means and legs in rigid relation.

9. A crutch device of the character described comprising a handle portion, a pair of legs rigidly secured to said handle in axially spaced relation and extending downwardly from said handle in diverging relation, said legs and said handle lying in substantially the same plane, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said handle between said legs, a third leg secured to said sleeve and swingable therewith about the axis of said handle, a yoke secured to the lower end of said third leg to form laterally spaced feet therefor, a Y-shaped brace member pivotally connected to each of said pair of legs, and releasable clamp means forming a sliding connection between said brace member and said third leg to provide for collapsing movement of said brace member with said third leg substantially into said plane and for releasably securing said brace member and legs in rigid relation.

STANLEY E. DU BOIS.

REFERENCES CITED Name Date Upton May 23, 1939 Number 

